24 “Better Than Takeout” Chinese Shrimp Recipes

Forget about ordering takeout ever again. With these Chinese Shrimp Recipes, you’ll have 25 different options that taste better than anything you’d get from ordering in.

Chinese Shrimp Recipes are always a good idea for lunches and dinners. Shrimp and vegetables mix with an array of sauces to make combinations that will make your tastebuds dance the night away. The recipes are classic and don’t stray from the originals for a reason. The traditional flavors are great no matter how many times you make these dishes. 

The recipes below get better and better, so you might as well cook your way through the list. If you are not sure where to start, Crispy Orange Shrimp and Kung Pao Shrimp are classic dishes to introduce to your pallet. The recipes highlight classic flavors and show off the traditional combinations in a delectable way. 

1. 20 Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp

The next time you need a quick dinner that tastes good in a flash, go with this 20-minute honey garlic shrimp. It’s simple, packed with flavor, and full of protein. Shrimp gets a quick marinade in a combo of honey, soy sauce, and garlic and is cooked in a pan of hot oil. Noodles, rice, or even zoodles are great to serve alongside the shrimp. It’s a dinner that will easily fall into your menu rotation.  

2. General Tso’s Shrimp

Next time you are thinking about treating yourself to takeout, skip the ordering and head to the kitchen instead with this General Tso’s shrimp recipe. The simple recipe will be ready in a flash and taste better than anything you’d get in a container. Don’t worry about having to pull out the deep fryer to get the perfect crunch on the shrimp. This recipe opts for shallow frying, keeping the cooking process simple in the kitchen. 

3. Honey Orange Firecracker Shrimp

Love honey? Orange too? How about shrimp? If you’ve said yes to all of the above, then you’ve come to the right place. This honey orange shrimp is about to soar to the top of your list when it comes to shrimp dishes. The honey orange sauce has everything you want. It’s slightly sweet, a little spicy, sticks perfectly to the shrimp, and cooks up extra crispy. Serve the shrimp over some rice or your favorite noodles to make the meal complete. 

4. Bang Bang Shrimp

There’s a reason why this shrimp dish is called bang bang shrimp. The sweet, spicy sauce gives your tastebuds a real bang when you take a bite. So, what’s in the sauce that is that amazing? It’s a combo of mayo, chili sauce, garlic, and sriracha. If you are a fan of spice, feel free to add in more sriracha to make the shrimp extra banging. 

5. Kung Pao Shrimp

You won’t regret trying this kung pao shrimp recipe! It takes less than a half hour to make, is bursting with flavors, and is much healthier than anything you get from a takeout order. Shrimp swim in a kung pao sauce made of soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, corn starch, water, sesame oil, white pepper, Chinese black vinegar, and sugar. Onions, green peppers, red chilis, and peanuts finish off the dish to make an outstanding meal. 

6. Shrimp Fried Rice

If shrimp fried rice is your go-to when you order takeout, then you’ll fall in love with this recipe. The simple rice dish takes rice, shrimp, onions, peas, and carrots and mixes it with a sauce made of soy sauce, salt, white pepper, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and green onions. Do yourself a favor and have all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time. Once this recipe gets going, the cooking process moves quite fast!

7. Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Sometimes basic is the best way to go. That is exactly the case when it comes to this salt and pepper shrimp recipe. Not only does this recipe keep the flavors simple, but it also turns a greasy dish into a healthy option. This is all done by cooking the shrimp in the air fry and leaving out all of the unnecessary cooking oil. The air fryer gives the shrimp the perfect crush and crunch, making it basically better than any takeout dish. 

8. Shrimp and Snowpeas

There are so many reasons to love this shrimp and snow peas recipe. First, it is super light and filled with healthy vegetables. Second, it doesn’t take very long to make. Third, it is super tasty. A powerful sauce of water, Shaoxing cooking wine, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil coat the veggies and shrimp, giving them a one-of-a-kind flavor. While snow peas are the main veggie in this dish, others work just as well. Throw in carrots, broccoli, or green beans if that’s more your speed. 

9. Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns

If you are looking for a tasty dish that isn’t too fussy in the kitchen but still provides a punch of flavor, you’ve come to the right spot. This Asian chili garlic prawn dish keeps things simple yet has layers of flavor. Don’t be afraid of using frozen shrimp for this recipe. The dish tastes just as good whether the shrimp are fresh or frozen. 

10. Shrimp in Lobster Sauce

Don’t let the name of this recipe fool you. There is actually no lobster present in this dish. That doesn’t mean you have to be disappointed, as the shrimp are more than enough as the main protein for the dish. The lobster sauce is actually just the name of the thick sauce that covers all of the shrimp. Pro-tip for this recipe! Read everything ahead of time and prepare all of the ingredients in advance, as there are quite a few steps.

11. Sweet and Sour Prawns

Sweet and sour prawns are amazing because of their ultra-crispy texture. The secret to getting that texture is all in the batter. The batter uses a combo of flour and cornstarch that keeps the shrimp extra crispy, even after the protein gets tossed in the sauce. Do yourself a favor and double this recipe, as everyone will be going back for seconds and thirds. 

12. Crispy Orange Shrimp

The next time you have a craving for takeout, ditch the menu and make this crispy orange shrimp dish instead. The crispy shrimp get coated in an orange sauce that is both sweet and spicy. The sweetness in the sauce comes from a coating of honey, while the spice is all from a delicate amount of red pepper flakes. If spice is your thing, double the amount of red pepper flakes. Just have something cool to drink nearby! 

13. Szechuan Shrimp Recipe

Need a simple meal that the whole family will love for an easy weeknight dinner? This Szechuan shrimp dish is the perfect recipe for that. The simple dish takes loads of veggies like bell peppers and snap peas and stir-fries them in a Szechuan sauce that is the perfect balance of flavors. Let the family pick rice or noodles to serve the shrimp over and watch the food disappear on the plate. 

14. Honey Walnut Shrimp

Sweet isn’t just for dessert. Take this honey walnut shrimp, for example. A sweet honey sauce and sugar-glazed walnuts mix to coat the shrimp to make a sweet main course. Don’t worry about the dish being overly sweet. The shrimp cut through the sweetness giving it a great balance. If it’s still too sweet for your liking, serve the dish alongside rice or noodles to even out the flavors. 

15. Garlic Honey Lime Shrimp

This garlic honey lime shrimp is great for a weeknight meal that is full of flavor. With only 7 ingredients, you’d think that this dish would be lacking in flavor, but it is quite the opposite. The shrimp get a quick marinate in a mixture of garlic, salt, and red chili flakes. Then they are cooked in honey and lime juice, where they get a smooth saucy coating. One bite and you’ll tastebuds will be in heaven. 

16. Easy Shrimp and Broccoli

A simple dinner of shrimp and broccoli is always a good idea. The shrimp-forward dish uses a simple marinade of Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. As for the broccoli, the secret to getting it perfectly cooked is in steaming it instead of using the balancing method. When the broccoli is bright green in color, you’ll know that it is perfectly tender and ready to go. The two main ingredients then get combined with a sauce made out of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.  

17. Chili Garlic Shrimp Noodles

If you love a meal full of garlic and spice, this chili garlic shrimp noodle dish will be right up your alley. The dish is one of those recipes that seems overly complicated but is actually pretty simple. The shrimp is cooked in a hot pan and then removed to make the sauce. Then, sesame oil, gochugaru, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, black vinegar, regular soy sauce, and dark soy sauce stir together quickly to make a luscious sauce to coat the shrimp and noodles. Feel free to add a few veggies to make the dish even more filling. 

18. Sesame Shrimp

There is nothing wrong with sticking to the classics. Case in point: this sesame shrimp recipe. Sesame shrimp is always on the plate when ordering takeout. With this recipe, you can learn to make a classic dish so you can eat it whenever you want — no delivery fees included. The crispy shrimp is ready in about 20 minutes and makes the perfect dinner any night of the week. Serve the dish with a bowl of white rice for a truly classic combination. 

19. Shrimp Chow Mein

This shrimp chow mein recipe is about to become a staple in your dinner rotation. The dish is super simple to make, and most of the ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. The key to getting this dish to taste just like your favorite takeout chow mein is using the right noodles. Yakisoba noodles will be the key to getting this dish just right. 

20. Easy Hoisin Shrimp

You’ve probably eaten loads of hoisin sauce as a dipping sauce, but have you ever used it to marinate your main protein? That is exactly what this recipe does by covering the shrimp in the tasty sauce. The hoisin sauce stays pretty true to flavor and only adds some soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to even out the taste. It is simple but in the best way possible. 

21. Shrimp Stir Fry

If you like your dishes heavy on vegetables, then this shrimp stir fry dish is just for you. Sure, the main protein is shrimp, but vegetables play a very important supporting role. The best part about this recipe is that pretty much anything goes. While carrots, bell pepper, snap peas, and scallions are in the recipe, any vegetable will do. Throw any leftover veggies from your fridge to make the meal feel brand new.

22. Hunan Shrimp

Calling all spice lovers! This one’s for you. This shrimp recipe doesn’t skimp when it comes to the heat. Shrimp gets coated in a sauce containing cornstarch, chicken broth, garlic, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. The real star of the show, the chili paste, then gets added to make this dish fiery. While this dish is spicy, it is not unbearably hot. Add in more chili paste if you’d like to turn up the heat. 

23. Cashew Shrimp Stir Fry

Cashew shrimp stir fry is a dish you are going to want to make at least once a week. The shrimp are super flavorful, perfectly cooked, and have a slightly nutty flavor from the cashews. The real star of this dish is the cashews. They are an underrated ingredient that brings the shrimp dish to the next level. You’ll forget all about peanuts after one bite of this dish. 

24. Mo Shu Shrimp

Bookmark this recipe for the next time you need some dinner inspiration. The classic dish is super simple to make at home and will have you eating every single drop of food on your plate. The marinade plays double duty in this recipe and works as the sauce too. The mixture of hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable broth, ginger, garlic, sriracha, sesame oil, black pepper, and onion powder may seem overpowering, but they balance out the dish to make it a show-stopping meal.